UK’s Johnson: Court ruling won’t interfere with Brexit plans

BERLIN — A court ruling requiring a greater say for lawmakers in Britain’s exit from the European Union shouldn’t derail the government’s timetable, the British foreign secretary said Friday. His German counterpart called for negotiations to start “as soon as possible.”

Foreign minister Boris Johnson described Britain’s planned EU exit as a “huge opportunity” and said “with the right spirit, I believe we can turn these negotiations into a win-win discussion.”

Speaking in Berlin, Johnson also cautioned against reading too much into Thursday’s High Court ruling that the British government needs Parliament’s approval before formally triggering talks on leaving the EU. And he was confident that it won’t throw Prime Minister Theresa May’s plans to do so by the end of March off course.

“It’s very important to understand that this is one stage in a legal process, that the government is going to appeal that ruling, and I think that it’s very important to recognize that the British people voted to leave the European Union,” Johnson said after meeting German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.